University of Washington
Syracuse
Comeback Falls Short As Dawgs Fall To #23 Syracuse
November 28, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Box Score
LAS VEGAS – Washington suffered its first loss of the season, falling to No. 23 Syracuse 66-62 at the South Point Shootout. The Dawgs got off to a sluggish start and trailed big in the first half, but nearly completed an epic comeback, getting within a single point in the fourth quarter.
Syracuse led by as many as 21 in the first half as the Huskies struggled to shoot the ball in the early going. The Dawgs scored just six points in the first quarter and trailed, 15-6.
The Orange extended the lead in the second quarter, building a 34-13 margin with 3:03 to play in the half. The Dawgs did not get discouraged, however, and closed to 36-22 at the break.
The Dawgs began to figure out the Syracuse press and zone defense in the third quarter. After struggling from beyond the arc in the first half, Washington also heated up from distance. Talia Walton was the main shooter, making three of the Huskies four 3-pointers in the quarter.
Walton stayed hot in the fourth as the Dawgs made their run. She finished with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds, making four 3's in the game.
Syracuse led by 10 with under seven minutes to play, but the Dawgs 9-0 run got them on the verge of reclaiming the lead. Brianna Ruiz got things started with a 3-ball, followed by Walton knocking down two free throws. Mathilde Gilling then checked in for defense and came up with a huge rebound and then made two free throws after she was fouled under her own basket. Walton completed the run with a layup and the Dawgs trailed just 54-53 with 3:47 to play.
After another stop, Washington had a chance to take the lead, but missed three times in one possession from beyond the arc. Twice Alexus Atchley kept the play alive with offensive rebounds, but the Dawgs were unable to convert the go-ahead basket.
From there, Syracuse was able to extend the lead to five and Washington would get no closer than three the rest of the way. Kelsey Plum finished with 19 points, trailing only Walton for the game high. Chantel Osahor was also in double figures, scoring 10, while collecting nine rebounds.
For the game, Washington shot 35 percent (21-60), including 27 percent (8-30) from 3-point range. The Huskies also committed 19 turnovers as the Orange pressed and trapped throughout the contest.
The loss drops the Huskies to 4-1 on the season, but they'll have a chance to head back to Seattle on a positive note, facing Texas Tech on Saturday evening. The tip between the Dawgs and Red Raiders is set for 6:45 p.m. for the conclusion of the South Point Shootout.
